


Trail of Puppy Tails

by CaptainJimothyCarter



Series: Winterhawk Bingo [11]
Category: Hawkeye (Comics), Winter Soldier (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Bucky is a loving boyfriend, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Lucky (Hawkeye) - Freeform, M/M, WinterHawk Bingo, clint is a dork, winterhawk - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:08:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27571297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainJimothyCarter/pseuds/CaptainJimothyCarter
Summary: Bucky isn't too good at keeping secrets, but this one is the best secret kept yet.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton
Series: Winterhawk Bingo [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1891774
Comments: 9
Kudos: 56
Collections: Winterhawk Bingo Round Two





	Trail of Puppy Tails

**Author's Note:**

> For Winterhawk Bingo Spot: Lucky, the pizza dog.
> 
> This was also done at like midnight on a very sleep-exhausted mind, so forgive me for the rushness and mistakes.

The first thing that Clint saw out of place in the kitchen was a foil-wrapped piece of chocolate sitting in front of Bucky. The chocolate itself was uninteresting, he knew underneath the foil was bland, tasteless chocolate, it’s the foil that interested Clint. It was a perfect detailed [or as detailed a piece of foil could be] of a labrador dog. The thing looked just like the puppy’s he’d seen at the doggy daycare down the street from where he worked.

“What’s this?” He asked, picking up the chocolate and turning it over in his fingers. Bucky just looked all sorts of amused at him, smirking behind that ridiculous [movie] mug of his.

“Whatcha think it is?” He rolled his eyes at his boyfriend before pulling the sleepy man into his lap, planting a coffee-soaked kiss on his cheek. “It’s chocolate. The grocery store has already decided to put their Christmas stuff out and I saw this for you. Thought it was cute.”

Bucky was right, it was pretty cute. Cute or not, chocolate was chocolate and he knew how much Bucky loved the damn thing. Even if it hurt some part of his child-like instincts to tear the foil open and pop off a piece of the doggy-molded chocolate. 

“How is it?” Bucky asked, laughing when he made a face at the taste. “Bad?”

“It tastes like dog food.” 

“How do you know what dog food tastes like?”

He shrugged, watching, Bucky take a piece before making a face too. “Lost a bet.”

Safe to say, he wasn’t far too mad when they both agreed that the chocolate was better put to use in the trash than near them. Still, the gesture was sweet and Clint made sure Bucky knew how grateful he was for the little gift with an extra serving of waffles. 

* * *

This was starting to become a pattern, Clint was sure of it. Because now on the kitchen table laid a labrador-shaped mug with freshly brewed coffee sitting beside it. Bucky had told him there was something for him on the table, right before he ran off to work. He thought something was a sweet breakfast or a little note, not this ridiculously adorable labrador mug. 

It even had a collar on it that said  _ Max.  _

He still couldn’t help but text Bucky.

_ Max. - CB _

_?? - JB _ _   
_ _ Oh, the mug. - JB _ _   
_ _ It’s so you - saw it at the thrift store with Nat. - JB _

_ That’s two doggy gifts, Buck. If I didn’t know better I’d say you’re planning something. - CB _

_ When have I ever been known to plan something? - JB _ _   
_ _ I see stuff that you might like and get it. - JB _

Despite what Bucky had said, Clint wasn’t sure he quite believed him. 

* * *

Two weeks following the Max mug, Clint woke up to a third surprise. It was late December with snow being promised later tonight, like actual, sticking now and not the slush they’re used to. He woke up to an excited boyfriend practically bouncing around the room, an adorable grin on his lips. He loved it when Bucky got excited. The guy’s eyes lit up and his whole being just emitted joy. He couldn’t help, but to grin too.

“What’s got you all excited?” 

The answer came from Bucky in the form of him practically picking Clint up and hoisting him over his broad shoulders. The limbered blonde squeaked and struggled, wiggling about but Bucky refused to put him down.

“Bucky, let me go! Where are we going? If I vomit on your back, it’s your fault.”

Clint grumbled the entire time he was carried through their apartment, out the door, down the hall, and finally sat on his feet when they stood at the entrance of their apartment. He didn’t need Bucky to carry him this entire time, especially because he was now standing in just his pajamas in like 15-degree weather.

Their whole neighborhood was covered in snow, thick blankets of snow that muffled the word around them. It crunched under Bucky’s feet as he disappeared behind the stairwell that leads to their second story, returning with a round, plastic sled under his arm.

“Where did you get that?” Clint asked, his breath lingering in the air. 

“This?” He twirled the shield in his fingertips and showed it to Clint, grinning from ear to ear. “A little something I picked up from the print-shop. We needed a new sled and well…”

Clint wasn’t too surprised when he saw the red sled now had the face of a photogenic labrador on the front. This one was different - no longer the puppy themed gifts that were his previously given ones. This labrador was missing his left eye - a thin scar remained where the eye had been. His left ear was floppy while the right one stood straight up, showing the few scars standing within the fur. It’s clear the poor thing had been through hell and bag and was possibly used as a fighting dog when he was younger. A tag around its neck just read  _ Lucky.  _

“Oh, he’s precious,” he breathed, fingertips brushing over the cold plastic before he could stop himself. Clint’s eyes fluttered up to Bucky’s, feeling a little bashful. “Why this photo?”

“Why not?” The guy seemed...deflective almost, but Clint just filed that away for another day. “He’s the underdog - his owner was telling me all about him at the coffee shop. Poor thing had been a fighting dog and is just some loveable, little mutt. Reminds me of another loveable mutt.”

Bucky’s taunt was met with a handful of snow in his face, spitting it out but still grinning from ear to ear. The absolute dork.

* * *

They had a little tradition at Christmas. Christmas Eve was spent together, watching cheesy Christmas movies, binge eating pizza, and drinking beer before opening their presents to one another at midnight. Christmas Day was spent with friends, family, and delivering food to the shelters.

Bucky was almost looking a bit off the entire night, one edge even. He bounced his leg several times, stopping when he saw Clint was looking worriedly at him. Anytime Clint asked what was wrong, he shrugged it off and deflected it with something else. 

“Alright,” Clint sighed, shutting the movie off and pulling from Bucky’s chest to look at him. “What is it? You’re so...antsy. You’ve been shaking the couch all night with your bouncing.”

“I’m not -” Bucky sighed when Clint just gave him  _ that  _ look. “Alright, maybe I’m a little antsy to see what you think about your Christmas present, okay?”

Oh, the absolute precious guy. Clint’s face practically melted and he could feel his heart lurching to his throat as he thought about their presents. He’d made sure Bucky’s was perfect this year, but the guy was so secretive about what he’d gotten him when normally he was such a blabbermouth. 

Taking Bucky’s hand in his own, he pulled it to his lips and pressed a long, lingering kiss to the scar along his knuckle. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s perfect.”

“Do you mind…” He glanced towards the clock on the wall and shrugged. “Can we open presents just a few minutes early? Not too much of breaking tradition, is it?”

Before Clint could respond, Bucky was already on his feet and rushing to under their pathetic Christmas tree. He pushed a flappy package into his hands, the wrapping paper crinkling and bending as Clint wrapped his fingers around it. If he’d guess, it has to be an item of clothing. 

“Just open it,” Bucky practically begged with bright eyes. “Please?”

“Okay,” Clint sighed, rolling his eyes. He pulled Bucky to him for a quick peck of his lips, the man plopping beside him. “Impatient.”

“Just open it.”

Inside was a gray shirt that had been carefully folded to avoid the writing being seen. It was soft, baby soft on his fingers as he turned it over to inspect what had to have been Bucky-handwriting computer-printed scrawl.  _ I work so hard so my dog can have a better life. _

His mouth opened and closed, the blonde’s brain trying to figure this out. He put the shirt down and saw Bucky’s stoic face looking at him. “But we...don’t have a dog? You’re allergic and -”

_ “Lucky wait!” _

That was Steve’s voice outside the door, the front door being shouldered opened by a large blonde who was barely being able to hold onto a leash. The leash contained the very labrador dog with the missing eye from the sled photo. Except now he was all tongue and tail wagging, lurching hard enough to pull from Steve’s grasp and going for the pizza on the table. 

Bucky groaned as he hoisted the pizza-covered dog by his chest out of the mess, kneeling to keep him contained. “C’mon, Lucky we talked about this!”

Snapping his mouth shut, Clint looked from Bucky to Steve, back to Lucky before doing it all over again. “What.”

Steve laughed, shutting the front door and tossing Bucky a towel from the kitchen to clean the mutt up with. “Merry Christmas, Clint.”

_ “What?!” _

It was Bucky’s turn to laugh, tossing the towel into the corner now that Lucky was cleaner and the pizza was properly disposed of in his stomach. “Merry Christmas.”

“No, I-I don’t understand. How? He-you-I-”

Lucky seemed to understand better than Clint did, trotting over to him and pausing to sniff his fingers just once. He deemed Clint worthy enough and hopped onto the couch like he owned it and pushed the tall blonde back, licking rapidly at his face and nuzzling him.

“He’s yours, Clint. Ours. The owner I spoke of was fostering him and was getting upset no one wanted him. I told him we’d adopt him, but couldn’t take him till now. Steve’s been taking care of him for us, we got everything a bed, food, his shots. He’s officially ours. Seems like Lucky loves you.”

Fuck, he was crying, wasn’t he? Tears rolling down his face as Lucky nuzzled him and seemed to enjoy the scratches behind his ear. His whole rump moved as he wagged his tail as if he might just take off from the amount of joy he was experiencing. Clint couldn’t think of what to say beyond hugging Lucky to him, burying his face into his chest.

Bucky knelt beside the pair on the couch, pulling Clint into his chest and scratching Lucky too. “I’ll be fine with my allergies - I wanted you happy. Not how I wanted to introduce ya’ll, - that wouldn’t happen until later today but...well, Lucky might’ve learned to be dramatic from Steve already.”

“I love him. I love  _ you,”  _ Clint almost sobbed, kissing Bucky nearly as sloppy as Lucky was licking him.

**Author's Note:**

> 100 fics!!!! I've posted 100 fics and this is my 100th one. Wow :)


End file.
